Funding-Transdisciplinary Research in Energetics and Cancer; January 26, 2010

Letters of Intent Receipt Date: January 26, 2010
Application Receipt Date: February 26, 2010
Peer Review Date: May/June 2010
Council Review Date: August 2010
Earliest Anticipated Start Date: September 2010

PRE-APPLICATION CONFERENCE CALL

The NCI anticipates holding a pre-application conference call on Monday, January 8, 2010 at 2 PM EST to which all interested prospective applicants are invited. NCI Program and review staff members will explain the goals and objectives for TREC, discuss the application peer review process, and to answer questions. Information about this Pre-Application Conference Call will be available at URL: http://cancercontrol.cancer.gov/trec/index.html

Additional Overview Content

Executive Summary

• Purpose. Through this Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA), the National Cancer Institute (NCI) solicits applications for the centers for Transdisciplinary Research on Energetics and Cancer (TREC) in nutrition, physical activity, energy balance, obesity, and cancer. The TREC initiative (http://cancercontrol.cancer.gov/trec/) is designed to foster collaboration across multiple disciplines and encompasses projects that cover the biology, genomics, and genetics of energy balance to behavioral, socio-cultural, and environmental influences upon nutrition, physical activity, weight, energetics, and cancer risk. This initiative is open to all qualified candidates regardless of whether or not they participated in the previous issuance of the TREC Program. Applicants responding to this FOA should establish transdisciplinary research teams with the appropriate breadth of expertise. TREC has two main goals, which are: (1) to enhance knowledge of the current mechanisms underlying the association between energy balance and carcinogenesis (from cellular, animal or human models to genetics and genomics and across the cancer continuum from causation and prevention); and (2) to explore and integrate the etiology of obesity behavior and relevant health behavior theories, with broad population impact at the social-environmental and policy levels for prevention and control of obesity. Special focus on children, groups at high risk for obesity, and cancer survivors is encouraged.
• Mechanism of Support. This FOA will utilize the NIH Cooperative Agreement Specialized Centers (U54) funding mechanism. This FOA is accompanied by a separate limited competition U01 FOA (RFA-CA-10-501), which solicits renewal application for a TREC Coordination Center.
• Funds Available and Anticipated Number of Awards. For this TREC FOA, the NCI has committed $15M in total costs for FY2010 and $75M in total costs over a 5-year period. Approximately six awards are expected in connection with this FOA.
• Budget and Project Period. Total direct costs requested or awarded for a single site may not exceed $1.5M per year, plus NIH-approved indirect rates in effect at the time of the award. It is anticipated that each award will not exceed $ 2.5M per year in total cost over a 5-year period.
• Eligible Institutions/Organizations. Institutions/organizations listed in Section III, 1.A. are eligible to apply.
• Eligible Project Directors/Principal Investigators (PDs/PIs). Individuals with the skills, knowledge, and resources necessary to carry out the proposed research are invited to work with their institution/organization to develop an application for support. Individuals from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups as well as individuals with disabilities are always encouraged to apply for NIH support.
• Number of PDs/PIs. More than one PD/PI (i.e., multiple PDs/PIs) may be designated on the application.
• Number of Applications. Applicant institutions may submit more than one TREC U54 application in response to this FOA, provided that each application is scientifically distinct and proposed by a separate team of investigators (i.e., with different PDs/PIs and other key personnel).
• Resubmissions. Resubmission applications are not permitted in response to this FOA.
• Renewals. Renewal applications are permitted in response to this FOA.
• Special Date(s). This FOA uses non-standard due dates. See Receipt, Review, and Anticipated Start Dates.
• Application Materials. See Section IV.1 for application materials.   All applications, including resubmission, revision and renewal, submitted for due dates January 25, 2010 and beyond, must utilize the current forms and instructions.
• Hearing Impaired. Telecommunications for the hearing impaired are available at: TTY 301-451-5936.

For Further Information: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-CA-10-006.html